Small boat weapon retriever

ABSTRACT

A boat with a catamaran aft portion which forms a well into which captured weapons may be floated and secured for hauling aboard is provided. A weapon is secured in the well by inflated bags which press against opposite sides thereof, causing the weapon to follow the motion of the boat. A nose harness is then fastened about the weapon after which it is drawn up a ramp over rollers to the deck where it is secured.

United States Patent Frederick W. Kamph Middletown, RJ.

Mar. 27, 1970 Jan. 4, 1972 The United States of America as representedby the Secretary of the Navy Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented AssigneeSMALL BOAT WEAPON RETRIEVER 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 114/435 Int. Cl B63b 35/44 Field of Search 1 14/16 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,537,413 11/1970 Farrellll4/43.5 3,492,964 2/1970 Garcia 1 14/235 R 3,507,241 4/1970 Southerland1 14/43.5

Primary ExaminerTrygve M. Blix Att0meysR. S. Sciascia, L. l. Shrago andC. E. Vautrain, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A boat with a catamaran aft portion which forms a well intowhich captured weapons may be floated and secured for hauling aboard isprovided. A weapon is secured in the well by inflated bags which pressagainst opposite sides thereof, causing the weapon to follow the motionof the boat. A nose harness is then fastened about the weapon afterwhich it is drawn up a ramp over rollers to the deck where it issecured.

PATENTED- 48?? INVENTOR.

BY %W SMALL BOAT WEAPON RETRIEVER The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States ofAmerica for governmental purposes without the payment of any royaltiesthereon or therefor.

This invention relates to means for retrieving floating weapons and,more particularly, to such means wherein the weapon is precluded frommaking contact with the retrieving device by being secured in the mediumto the device.

It is often difficult and hazardous to acquire armed or fragile weaponsor other objects from a body of water in which the sea state issufficiently severe to cause appreciable relative movement between thefloating object and the recovery vehicle. The recovery of weapons fromthe water such as torpedoes is always hazardous to personnel andpotentially damaging to the weapon. The irregular rise and fall of theweapon and the recovery vehicle when brought alongside in conventionalfashion result in the high possibility of collision, while thesubsequent securing operations also are dangerous due to the motion ofthe recovery vehicle only.

The present invention avoids the difficulties in such a procedure byproviding a well into which the weapon may be moved so that the weaponand the recovery vessel will be subjected to substantially the samemotion in the existing sea state. Once the weapon has been broughtwithin the well, it is restrained therein before the attachment of abridle or other means for hauling it on board by inflatable bags whichextend inboard from either side of the well to partially encompass theweapon. The bags are preferably of resilient material but of substantialstrength so that a considerable transverse force can be exerted againstthe portion of the weapons surface which is contacted by the bags. Afterbeing controlled in the well, a bridle or other capture device isattached to the nose of the torpedo and the torpedo then is hauled up aramp over rollers as holding pressure from the bags is released. Thetorpedoes or other recovered weapons then may be stored on the deck ofthe retrieving vessel.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a meansfor recovering weapons in sea states greater than two.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for recovery ofweapons in such sea states wherein the weapon is constrained to followthe motion of the recovery vessel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vessel forretrieving weapons in sea states greater than two wherein the weapon ispositioned in a sheltered area for capture and recovery.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description thereof whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which likenumerals represent like parts throughout and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a retrieving vessel for usein recovering floating weapons;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the recovery vessel shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of one of the steps in recovering aweapon.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment ofa recovery vessel 11 which is provided with a split stern formed of hullsections 12 and 13, these hull sections defining a weapon recovery well14. The well 14 may be of any suitable size in relation to the weapon tobe recovered and, in case of torpedoes, should be preferably about 20 to25 feet in length and 15 to feet in width to afford adequate handlingspace. Vessel 1] in the embodiment shown is substantially 100 feet longand is provided with a catamaran-type aft hull portion as shown ingreater detail in FIG. 2. Vessel 11 also is provided with line-launchinggear such as line-throwing guns l6 and 17, a ramp 18 for facilitatingmoving the weapon to the deck storage area, deck control stations 20 and21 and a power source 22. Positioned along opposite sides of well 14 areinflatable bags 25 and 26 which are shown in the inflated conditionsecuring a torpedo 27 between them but which in the deflated conditionare contained in recesses 28 and 29, respectively, in the aft hullsections. The bags are connected to pressurized gas sources 33 and 34with the immediate control means therefor maintained at stations 20 and21 and with safety valves 35 and 36 included between the pressure sourceand the bag wells. Retrieving lines, not shown, are maintained on thedeck near line-throwing guns l6 and I7, and cleats 40 through 43 areprovided to assist in hauling the weapon into the well and positioningit for the recovery operation. Recovered weapons are stored on deck asindicated at 46 through 48 and a winch 49 and drum 50 are positioned tohaul the recovered torpedoes up ramp [8 to the main deck 51. Tofacilitate moving the torpedoes up ramp l8, rollers 55 through 58 may beprovided. A line or cable 60, wound on drum 50 and having aweapon-handling gear 61 secured to the free end of cable 60, completesthe components essential to storing recovered weapons. The aft hullsections 12 and 13 preferably are tied together by a partial transom 64which is disposed sufficiently above the waterline of the vessel so asnot to interfere with recovery operations.

FIG. 2 shows a stern view of the catamaran vessel in which the aft hullsections 12 and 13 are shown extending aft from a point at or forward oframp 18 at which point a conventional single hull 66 begins. The bags 25and 26 are shown holding torpedo 27 therebetween before the torpedo hasbeen hauled forward to ramp 18.

FIG. 3 illustrates one step in the recovery of a torpedo, showingretrieval lines 67 and 68 leading forward under partial transom 64 toline handlers, not shown, and extending aft to a bridle 69 which hasbeen secured about the torpedo by swimmers from the vessel. The bridlemay be substituted for by a net, not shown, which would be launched byline-throwing guns l6 and 17. In either recovery method, the weapon isdrawn into well 14 but before entering the well is positioned inattitude by protective poles or the like so that the weapon enters thecenter of the well in fore and aft alignment therewith.

The weapon retriever of the present invention is primarily intended forrecovery of torpedoes or other weapons in highsea states. The provisionof a well, such as well 14, which is open to the sea at the stern of theboat and has platforms along either side on which personnel may move todirect and capture the weapon is an extremely desirable advance in thefield of weapon capture. Although FIG. 2 illustrates a relatively calmsea in which torpedo 27 has been brought into the well, it will beappreciated that sea states, wherein the waves may be several feethigher than the vessel itself when on an even keel, may be encounteredand that the well will serve to render capture much more safe and simplethan past procedures.

In conventional capture methods, personnel generally are required towear swimsuits and swim to the weapon, attaching a bridle or other meansfor towing the weapon back to the recovery ship. Insofar as attachingthe bridle is concerned, the present invention would use this initialrecovery step; however, the conventional capture method would thenrequire that the weapon be brought alongside a ship and there tetheredor otherwise held by lines until hoisted onto the appropriate deck. Inthe alongside position, the weapon would not be subjected to the samerolling and pitching motion as that of the ship so that capture andhauling to the deck are extremely dangerous and difficult steps. Theweapon, after being tethered, must be spaced a safe distance from theship and then hoisted only when the ship has rolled to the side alongwhich the weapon is positioned. In hoisting thereafter, the weapon mustthen again be fended off from the ships hull and superstructure since itis not possible in most instances to bring the weapon to the deck duringone-half a period of a ships roll.

The present invention permits the tethered weapon to be towed into thewell of the vessel 11 regardless of the sea condition since at the sternof the boat the motion of boat and weapon can be simultaneous or atleast sufficiently similar so that the two are moving up and downtogether. Under these conditions, it is relatively easy to draw theweapon into the hull under partial transom 64 and there to position itby lines which may be attached to cleats 40 through 43 before bags 25and 26 are inflated. In extreme cases, it may be desirable to inflatethe bags before all four-tethering lines are secured. in any event, theweapon, once within the well, is secured therein by transverse pressurefrom bags 25 and 26; and, in this position, the weapon and the boat willride the waves in identical manner. With the weapon so held, a bridlesuch as indicated at 61 or other device adapted for securing the nose ofthe weapon may be attached quickly and at any time. After attachment,the weapon is hauled up ramp 18 by cable 60, its starting being guidedeither by reduced pressure from bags 25 and 26 or by tether linessecured to cleats 42 and 43. The weapon is easily and quickly hauled upramp 18 over rollers 55 through 58 and, when brought to the deck, issupported by brackets and stored on deck as indicated.

The operation of the pressurizing sources 33 and 34 is very simple andquick. Bags such as indicated at 24 and 26 may be filled in a matter ofseconds and deflated as quickly. Upon deflation, the bags returnsubstantially to positions within the recesses 28 and 29, thus being outof the way so that succeeding operations may commence. Line-throwingguns such as indicated at 16 and 17 or other devices such as anet-throwing gun, not shown, may be used and, in the case of thenet-throwing gun, may capture the weapon without the requirement of aswimmer. In such an operation, the weapon would be drawn close to vessel11 at the stern and maneuvered until appropriate tethering lines may befastened thereabout.

It will be recognized that many modifications and variations of thepresent invention are possible in the light of the above teachings.

What is claimed is:

l. A vessel adapted for retrieving floating objects including expendedtorpedoes comprising:

a'hull having a stern well open to the flotation medium on its aft endand at its bottom; the sides of said well adapted to receive thereininflatable members in deflated condition; deflated inflatable memberspositioned in said sides; means for drawing a floating object into andpositioning said object in said well; means for inflating saidinflatable members,

said inflatable members when inflated pressing against opposite sides ofsaid floating object constraining said object to follow the motion ofsaid vessel; and

. vessel.

3. The vessel as defined in claim 2 wherein the well is formed by dualhull sections extending aft from a single hull and having substantiallythe same draft as the single hull portion of the vessel.

4. The vessel as defined in claim 3 and further including a plurality ofrollers centrally disposed in said ramp to facilitate hauling aboard ofthe torpedo.

5. The vessel as defined in claim 4 wherein the inflatable members arebags of reinforced plastic material and the inflating means includevalve control means, pumping means and at least one reservoir connectedthereto and to each of said bags.

6. A vessel adapted for retrieving expended floating weapons such astorpedoes comprising:

a composite craft having a single hull forward and double,

spaced hulls aft,

said spaced aft hulls fonning a well communicating with the flotationmedium which is greater in length than the length of the weapon to beretrieved and on the order of several times the width of said weapon;

said well defined by substantially vertical sides, said sides havingrecessed areas disposed o posite one another and extending above andbelow e waterline for accommodating at least one inflatable member eachtherein;

at least one inflatable member in each recessed area,

said inflatable members substantially confined in said recessed areas inthe inoperative condition;

a gas pressure source and control means therefor disposed in said craftand connected to said inflatable members;

a ramp disposed at the forward end of said well extending substantiallybelow the waterline of the craft; and

means for hauling said weapons up said ramp from said well, whereby aweapon after being captured and moved into said well may be held thereinby pressure of said inflatable members upon inflation thereof andthereafter tethered and hauled up said ramp to the deck of said craft.

1. A vessel adapted for retrieving floating objects including expendedtorpedoes comprising: a hull having a stern well open to the flotationmedium on its aft end and at its bottom; the sides of said well adaptedto receive therein inflatable members in deflated condition; deflatedinflatable members positioned in said sides; means for drawing afloating object into and positioning said object in said well; means forinflating said inflatable members, said inflatable members when inflatedpressing against opposite sides of said floating object constrainingsaid object to follow the motion of said vessel; and means on saidvessel for transferring said object from said well to a position onboard where it may be secUred.
 2. The vessel as defined in claim 1wherein said object is a torpedo and said means for transferring theobject includes a nose harness for attachment to the torpedo and a rampat the front end of the well to assist in hauling the torpedo aboard thevessel.
 3. The vessel as defined in claim 2 wherein the well is formedby dual hull sections extending aft from a single hull and havingsubstantially the same draft as the single hull portion of the vessel.4. The vessel as defined in claim 3 and further including a plurality ofrollers centrally disposed in said ramp to facilitate hauling aboard ofthe torpedo.
 5. The vessel as defined in claim 4 wherein the inflatablemembers are bags of reinforced plastic material and the inflating meansinclude valve control means, pumping means and at least one reservoirconnected thereto and to each of said bags.
 6. A vessel adapted forretrieving expended floating weapons such as torpedoes comprising: acomposite craft having a single hull forward and double, spaced hullsaft, said spaced aft hulls forming a well communicating with theflotation medium which is greater in length than the length of theweapon to be retrieved and on the order of several times the width ofsaid weapon; said well defined by substantially vertical sides, saidsides having recessed areas disposed opposite one another and extendingabove and below the waterline for accommodating at least one inflatablemember each therein; at least one inflatable member in each recessedarea, said inflatable members substantially confined in said recessedareas in the inoperative condition; a gas pressure source and controlmeans therefor disposed in said craft and connected to said inflatablemembers; a ramp disposed at the forward end of said well extendingsubstantially below the waterline of the craft; and means for haulingsaid weapons up said ramp from said well, whereby a weapon after beingcaptured and moved into said well may be held therein by pressure ofsaid inflatable members upon inflation thereof and thereafter tetheredand hauled up said ramp to the deck of said craft.